


The Best Gift

by rinnenotsubasa



Series: At the Heart of the Sea [3]
Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Fluff, Friendship, Multi, Mutual Pining, aspiring-sailor!Jun, but slight angst if you’ve read Lighthouse, sailor!Seungcheol, same AU with my fic called Lighthouse, some sort of prequel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-21
Updated: 2017-01-21
Packaged: 2018-09-18 22:26:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9405641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rinnenotsubasa/pseuds/rinnenotsubasa
Summary: “I want you to come back.”“Then that shall be the gift I’ll present to you.”One sunny day, three teenagers were facing inevitable change with unchanging bond. One who’s going away, one who’d eventually follow, and one who’s staying to welcome them back.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I just read [Samnyeong’s](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Samnyeong/pseuds/Samnyeong) "[Not Broken Just Bent](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8870161)” and was suddenly inspired to write SoonCheol. Got an idea that fits my AU in "[Lighthouse](http://archiveofourown.org/works/6605896)" so this is some sort of prequel. I really like Lighthouse and I thank Samnyeong for getting me to write more about this AU.

Soonyoung and Seungcheol kept bickering, and Jun was struggling to keep the edges of his lips down. The three of them were on a grassy hill at the highest place in this island. The way up was quite steep, Jun struggled a bit. Soonyoung did too, but refused to show it, not even letting out a grunt. Of course he wouldn’t. Not when Seungcheol was climbing the rocky path without breaking a sweat.

Now that they were on the top of the hill, they just played around with random stuffs they found or lay down on the grass. They didn’t really have a plan. Just spending time together as usual while they still could.

Jun quickly retreated to the shade, prompting Seungcheol to grab his arm and try dragging him out. Enjoy the endless blue sky, he said. Jun countered by saying that he didn’t want to get any darker. Seungcheol replied with, “But your dark skin is nice!” Jun saw Soonyoung dropped his head down and looked at his arm, probably wondering about his own milky white skin. Soonyoung was adorable in how he could get affected by such carefree remark. Seungcheol was slightly annoying in how he couldn’t realize that Jun was more wary of heatstroke than getting dark skin.

Seungcheol finally gave up and dragged Soonyoung instead. Jun settled himself more comfortably on the grass and felt content watching his friends playing around. At some point Soonyoung and Seungcheol started a wrestling match, rolling around on the grass, limbs all tangled.

Soon enough Seungcheol took the upper hand (of course) and straddled Soonyoung, hands cuffing the latter’s wrists to the ground. Hovering over Soonyoung, Seungcheol had his smile up, the kind that went up to the creases of his eyes and always brought warmth to Jun’s chest. Yet it had a different effect to Soonyoung. Soonyoung’s mouth was left slightly open and, even though it’s hard to see from here, Jun was sure that his eyes dilated in a mixture of surprise, embarrassment, and longing (Jun knew Soonyoung like the back of his hand).

Meanwhile the smile on Seungcheol’s face started to falter. From the side, Jun could see the playfulness in Seungcheol’s face gave way to something serious. Jun prayed that Soonyoung’s heart could hold on with _that_ face so close to Soonyoung’s.

Then, as if someone had flicked their fingers and broke off the spell, Seungcheol and Soonyoung looked away at the same time. Seungcheol turned towards Jun, giving him a kind of apologetic look, while Soonyoung to the other way, not looking at either Seungcheol or him until flopping down on his left side. Seungcheol took his right.

Jun stayed relaxed on his spot, but inside he was sighing. He wouldn’t have minded if something had happened. Really. He might be slightly grossed out, but as a friend who had been watching the two more closely than anyone had been, he honestly thought it would be a moment that’s long overdue.

When the sun finally stopped being so torturous, Seungcheol started talking about how excited he was for his upcoming voyage. It wouldn’t be his first sail, but Seungcheol talked as if it was his very first one; eyes gleaming and lips stretched into a huge grin. The positive energy he exuded was something that Jun was grateful for.

“I can’t wait for you to go on your sail”, Seungcheol turned to Jun with that huge grin.

Jun nodded and smiled. It was amusing how Seungcheol could seem more excited about Jun’s sail than Jun himself. Not that Jun wasn’t excited. He believed he had the same amount of passion as Seungcheol when it came to sailing. The only reason Jun delayed his departure was his family. He was waiting until his little brother was old enough so that he could go aboard a ship and leave the island for weeks (and later, months) with a peaceful mind.

Jun could sense Soonyoung fidgeting beside him. Although the latter had never said it out loud, Jun knew that Soonyoung didn’t like the idea of his closest friends going on a sail. He always had this constipated look on the way to the harbor to send Seungcheol off on his short sails, doing his best to show a natural smile when they finally reached the harbor. He would probably act like that too when it’s time to send Jun off. Maybe. Jun thought it was mean of him to want such uneasiness for Soonyoung, but he really wished Soonyoung would worry about him too.

Usually Seungcheol never tried to address Soonyoung’s anxiety and just be his usual cheerful self. Maybe it’s his way to show Soonyoung that everything was going to be the as it had always been, just fine. But today was different. Maybe it’s because the upcoming sail was going to be considerably longer than any of the previous ones.

“Don’t sulk, Soonyoung. I’ll get you some souvenirs from the trip.” Seungcheol bent his head slightly forward to see past Jun and face Soonyoung with an ear-splitting grin.

Soonyoung pouted, but quickly pulled his lips back into a thin line and glared, a failed attempt in acting menacing.

“Don’t treat me like a kid,” he protested.

“You’re sure you don’t want anything?” said Seungcheol in a teasing voice.

Surprisingly, Soonyoung’s face turned solemn. Jun thought he would play it off. Without looking away from Seungcheol, Soonyoung spoke.

“I want you to come back.”

His voice sounded flat, almost emotionless. Something told Jun that emotions were there, tucked safely underneath. He trusted Seungcheol to perceive that too.

The sparkle in Seungcheol’s eyes didn’t falter, nor the huge grin on his face.

“Then that shall be the gift I’ll present to you.”

A small smile graced Soonyoung’s face and Jun could feel his own lips curving up too.

**Author's Note:**

> I started this fic with excitement but got teary as I wrote the last part.
> 
> I don’t know if this made sense to those who haven’t read Lighthouse. Please tell me if it doesn’t. I think I tend to get confusing and I’d like to improve it.
> 
> The title just didn't pop out to me as usual so I just picked the "gift" part from Seungcheol's line. 
> 
> Speaking of gifts, [this song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZlgIGsT-N) is really nice ([lyrics translation](https://ijahlovesmrchildren.wordpress.com/2008/08/05/mr-children-gift/))


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